Alone
by SeleneofAtlantis
Summary: Lorcan has to leave the palace with Rowan and Aedion for a mission. However, a while later Elide discovers something.
1. Chapter 1

***Three weeks after Elide accepts the mating bond with Lorcan***

"I can't just up and leave her, Rowan!"

"Right now we don't really have a choice, Lorcan. I know it's hard, but, at the end of the day, what could possibly go wrong. Elide will be at the palace with Aelin and Lysandra; whilst you'll be with Aedion and I for a few months at the most."

The voices outside Elide's door lower to whisper shouts, and she flops, face first, onto Lorcan and her's bed. Her mate been outside half arguing with Rowan, his King, for what feels like hours, and she is sick of it. Just as Elide is about to get up and work out what is going on, a tentative knock sounds on the door and it slowly opens, with a creek.

Lorcan peers around the door, and Elide cocks her head, wondering what is happening. He heavily strides in, his face downcast. Sitting on the bed next to Elide, he puts an arm around her shoulders, and begins to speak. "Elide, I," he stops, and takes a deep breath, before continuing, "I have to go away for a while. I do not want to leave you behind, but right now Rowan and I have no other choice, we have to do this. It will only be for five weeks, at the most."

"Lorcan," Elide says, before he can fit in anything else, "I respect the decisions you and Rowan have made, and I do not mind that you have to leave, it's your job to do all of this. Anyway, how hard can it be to live without my mate, I managed before I found you, so, I can manage again, can't I. And Aelin and Lysandra will be here to look after me, too, won't they."

"In that case, there's one more thing you need to know, Elide. We leave tomorrow."

Silence engulfs the room, and Elide leans into Lorcan, grateful to steal his warmth. The sound of them breathing is the only noise left in the space they shared.

"Do you want to do something together for the rest of the day, seeing as this is our last day with each other for a little time." Elide quietly asks, not sure if Lorcan will agree.

"Of course I do." He replies.

"Then I'll meet you here in half an hour, I'm going to get it all ready."

"See you in thirty minutes then."

Rushing down to Aelin and Rowan's area of the sprawling castle, Elide could barely contain her joy. For once she could spend an evening relaxing and having fun with the best person in all of Erilea, as far as she was concerned, Lorcan. All she needed was a perfect dress, she was sure Aelin would no some place to find one on such short notice, and some of Lorcan's favourite dishes.

"So, let me get this straight, Elide, you need a dress for," Aelin quickly glanced at the decorated clock hanging on the wall, "25 minutes time, plus food for you and Lorcan?"

"Yes..."

"Sounds like some last minute plan that we are completely unprepared for that I'd make up, I love it!" Replies Aelin.

Elide follows her into her more than large closet as she starts to hurriedly look through her mountains of dresses, tunics and Wyrd knows what else that she kept in there.

"So... What colour do you want?"

"Black. Or maybe a dark blue."

"Full length or down to the knee?"

"Full length." Elide decided.

"Aha! I think I have something that should do you just fine. How about... This!"

Aelin proudly held out a breathtakingly beautiful dress, as if she was presenting a prize winning horse to her. It was dark blue, verging on black, but not quite there yet; it didn't pouf out like a ball gown, but it didn't hug her every curve like other dresses she had seen; it sparkled a little when it caught the light, but not so much that it was like a literal glitter ball. It was perfect.

"Are you sure I can have this?" Elide asked, amazed by the pure perfection of the pieces of material in her hands.

"Blue isn't really my colour, besides, it's barely big enough and I've never worn it."

"Thank you." Elide said, and hugged her tightly before stepping away, a smile plastered onto her face. "No one ever did things like this for me, before, y'know, everything happened."

"It's fine, now you go take Lorcan up to the roof, Lysandra had it all sorted out for you both."

"Thank you so, so much Aelin!"

"Anytime. You both deserve it."

As Elide sprinted down the hall, Rowan appeared by Aelin's side, tucking an arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

"Lorcan is lucky to have someone like her."

"We all are."


	2. Chapter 2

Aelin, Lysandra and I grasped hands as we watched our mates ride through the ash wood gates at the end of the main carriage way up to the palace. A tear slipped down Lysandra's cheek, and she leaned into Aelin. She had been mated with Aedion two days ago, only for them to be ripped apart again. Aedion looked back once and he must have sent something down the bond, for Lysandra smiled a little, and took a deep breath. Lorcan never looked back at me, but down the bond I felt a gentle caress and his voice blossomed inside of my head.

 **Goodbye, Elide.**

 **Goodbye, Lorcan.**

 **I'll come back to you soon, I promise.**

 **You always do.**

"Come on you two, let's get inside, I'm cold." Our mates had finally fallen out if our line of sight, and Aelin spoke to us, tugging us inside before she had even finished speaking.

"Lysandra?"

"Yes.."

"As your queen, I command you to smile, and at least try to stop crying a bit."

Lysandra tries to laugh, tries to smile, but we can both see that her heart is hurting, she is scared to lose what keeps her alive and well. He will come back to her. So will Rowan. And Lorcan. They will, they have to.

We stand in the palace entrance, unsure of what to do next. "Well.. Um... I think I'm going to go up to my room, I need to write a letter to Yrene, she told me to send her one at least once a week." I say, and, without another a word, I run to my suite of rooms, doing my best not to break down in tears.

I don't know what's wrong with me. I always feel so over emotional these days and can't get a handle on it, they keep flaring up. A wave of nausea sweeps over me, again, and I hurtle for the bathing room. Retching into the toilet, I finally let the tears fall. They stream down my cheeks, dripping onto the floor as I slump down onto the bath mat. I snuffle and my chest heaves, 'I'm going to throw up again' I think. Shakily rising from the floor, I grip the walls and try to get to my writing desk, in the bedroom. At least I have good reason to be writing to Terrasen's best healer. I keep the letter simple, I don't think I even have enough to strength to write a full-length letter to her.

Hoping she won't notice anything is wrong with me, I stumble down the corridor to what is now Aedion's and Lysandra's room and tentatively knock on the door. I can hear Aelin and Lysandra chatting inside, before one of them calls out, telling that they will be a minute. I don't want her to notice that I'm ill, besides she has Lysandra, I'm an unnecessary burden. The door opens I step in, Aelin telling me to take a seat on the massive bed that she and Lysandra are sitting upon.

"What did you want, Elide?" Lysandra asks.

"Could you send this letter to Yrene with your fastest messenger for me, she's staying on the outskirts of Orynth, in a place named, Yew Tree Cottage."

"Of course." Aelin replies. She passes the letter to a sentry outside of her door, and instructs him to take it to the messengers and get it sent quickly.

I suddenly feel dizzy as I get up, and stumble back towards Aelin, trying to manoeuvre myself so that I don't land on top of either of them. I almost lie back onto the bed, and reveal that maybe I am just a little ill, then I remind myself to stop, I don't want to be more of a burden on them than I already am. I get back up again, but Aelin and Lysandra hold me back.

"Are you sure you're alright Elide, you've gone all pale and shivery." Lysandra says. She's right, it's absolutely freezing in here.

"I think we should get a healer up to check on you," Aelin chips in, not letting me protest, "Call, Zafira please, Lysandra, she's the best we have in the castle at the moment, with Yrene gone. Do you think you can stand,Elide?"

"N- no." I say shakily, and Aelin tucks me in her bed as I begin to shiver again. I close my eyes and sleep pulls me under, into a deep slumber.

I can hear voices above me as I blearily open my eyes. The world tilts for a moment, and I jump, scared of the sudden change. Before I can blink it is righted, and I can see familiar faces above me. Aelin. Zafira. Lysandra.

"I'm sorry, my ladies, but may you please leave the room for a little time, I need to be alone with Lady Elide to finish my examinations." Zafira asks politely, head bowed, so Aelin and Lysandra leave me alone with her, shutting the door behind themselves.

"Just stay as still as possible and breath normally. I'll be done soon." She says to me.

I do as I'm told and stay still, as a strange feeling wanders down my body, head to toe, Zafira's hands gently apply pressure to my back, checking every inch of my body for anything wrong. The healer's hands lift off me and I prop myself up on the many pillows scattered onto Aelin's bed.

"I think I know what is wrong, but I will check with Yrene when she gets here, I don't want to get anything wrong."

"Mmhm." I mumble, not are what to reply with,"D- don't tell Aelin and Lysandra, please."

"As you wish, milady."

Before she can speak anymore, there is a knock on the door, and Aelin and Lysandra glide into the room, Yrene in tow.

"I got here as quickly as I could when I got your message, I will discuss with Zafira what she found in private now." She said frankly, and Aelin rushed over, Lysandra quickly following her. I tried to smile at them, but, already tired, I collapsed onto the bed. Aelin played with my hair, brushing it out of my face; Lysandra plumped pillows and tucked me into the covers.

The two healers opened the door, their talk in the hallway evidently over as the pair ushered the others out.

"You may be seeing a bit more of us for the remainder of the year, Elide." Said Zafira.

Yrene carried on, "You're pregnant."

Pregnant.

Pregnant.

I was carrying Lorcan's child.

The happiest feeling of my life flew through me.


End file.
